GT Newsletter
April
Our Brains and Understanding Fear
Events
First Grade – Grand Reopening of Zooland – Friday, April 27th, 7:45-8:30 a.m. (GT Classroom)
Second Grade – Game Day – Tuesday, May 8th, 7:45-8:30 a.m. (GT Classroom)
Third Grade – Invention Celebration - Thursday, May 10th, 12:00-12:30 (Cedar Creek Elementary – Commons Area)
Fourth Grade – DIG – Monday, May 7th, 9:00 -10:00 a.m.
Fifth Grade – Walk to WRMS - visit Mrs. Reese, the GT Specialist – Monday, April 23, 10:05-10:50
Fifth Grade Parents – Parent Meeting with Mrs. Reese about GT at WRMS – Monday, April 23, 7:30-8:15 (Barton Creek GT Classroom)
Kindergarten
We are having so much fun in class learning new games and new ways to stretch our thinking. The children have learned Blink and Quirkle, two games that focus on Details, our first depth and complexity thinking skill. During our exploration of Unanswered Questions, they watched a video clip and just asked questions (I wonder….). They also wondered what they could make as they explored a new material in our STEAM cart. You can encourage curiosity by playing “I wonder…” with them. All you need to do is wonder with them. It is especially easy to do in a car!
On a weekly basis, the children also learn specific skills related to creative thinking using Draw Start booklets. Each page has an item that is a prompt to be used in a drawing. They have learned about common and uncommon ideas and breaking boundaries (going off the page). The children always enter the room with such positive attitudes and full of energy!
First Grade
The “zookeepers” have been busy taking notes using multiple sources about their animals. Those were sent home last week to complete. The notes and a typed outline that is easy for the children to read are due on Monday, April 9th. The next step will be to sketch what they want their modern zoo exhibit to look like and bring in some possible materials to mimic water and other parts of the exhibit. I also have lots of materials. In preparation, the zookeepers listed criteria for a good zoo exhibit so that they have guidance while creating the exhibit in class. They will also start to practice speaking skills such as voice projection and enunciation to be the docents at the Grand Reopening of Zooland.
We hope your family can attend on Friday, April 27th, starting at 7:50. The “zoo” will be open to parents for about 10-15 minutes before the first grade classes start rotating through to visit. This will give the children experience at modifying what they say based on their audience. Thanks so much for your support as they move through this process! They have worked so hard in class!
Second Grade
There are so many strategy games from all over the world! The “gamers” each have their own favorite games from the many that they have examined. They have become very adept at thinking of strategies to win and ways to modify games. One of the games that has been very popular is Chess. Mrs. Hall helped them start using ChessKids, an app that allows the children to take lessons and play chess. It is fun to watch them rush into the room to have a few mintues to jump onto ChessKids while waiting for the rest of the class.
This month the children will work on creating a strategy game. They will decide on a type of strategy game and develop the goal and rules. Then, the “gamers” will create and decorate the board and a container for the game. You are invited to class to play the game on Tuesday, May 8th, 7:45-8:30 a.m.
Third Grade
The inventors in third grade were thrilled to “meet” their fellow inventors from Cedar Creek using Google Classroom! As they each get to know their new friend, the children will start to think of something that the person might like and create it in class. This activity is based on the book, The Most Magnificent Thing. The children will give their “magnificent” items to their new friends when they meet on the day of the invention celebration.
Mrs. Hall was our guest speaker during class and talked about her invention, the doggy diaper. It was a big hit with the class! A key message from her talk was to start with a problem that you notice. The inventors brainstormed lots of problems and started thinking about possible solutions. They also searched through examples in magazines to see how inventors often take an idea and just modify it or add something to it to create something new. They will start to work on their final invention at home very soon! I love how excited they get about creating!
The Invention Celebration is scheduled for May 10th at Cedar Creek. Viewing by parents will be from 12:00-12:30. Then the children will share with each other and have lunch together before returning to Barton Creek.
Fourth Grade
The archaeologists in fourth grade are super excited about their cultures. The two teams have already determined their themes/topics and possible ideas for the cultural universals, such as food, clothing, government, etc. This week they will sketch ideas for possible artifacts and then make 2 artifacts at home. Once the artifacts are returned, the teams will bury them at separate times so that everything remains top secret! After the archaeologists learn about the different jobs at a dig site, the teams will discuss and determine everyone’s jobs for the actual DIG! The date for the actual DIG is Monday, May 7th, 9-10 a.m.
In addition, they will create a spoof about archaeology after reading the book, The Motel of Mysteries. The children will create their own movies about a funny culture based on Barton Creek Elementary School.
As always, Hour of Power (which was inspired by this group of children a couple of years ago) is a big hit!
Fifth Grade
The children have worked in teams over the past couple of weeks to create instant challenges for their classmates. In a few weeks, the groups will take turns leading the class as they “teach” a class, presenting the challenge they created.
The children are also starting on their “Me Collages” after listening to Oh, The Places You’ll Go. This is an opportunity to ponder possibilities in their futures and appreciate how choices may change over time. Speaking as a parent, I think this is a piece of work that you may want to save for them!
April 23rd is a big day! Mrs. Reese, the GT Specialist from WRMS, will present information about the GT Program at a parent information meeting in my room (112), 7:30-8:15 a.m. I hope you can join us! The children will then walk over during their GT class period to visit with Mrs. Reese in her classroom for a brief time. This should help with the transition to middle school.
We pulled out the posters from events in GT class over the years and the children really enjoyed their journey back in time. There was lots of laughter while reminiscing. Many even pulled out their iPads to take photos of themselves from previous years.
I am treasuring these last weeks of my time with them! I know they are ready for middle school, but they will be dearly missed!